Company exposes family to risk of asbestos

St Albans Magistrates’ Court heard how Ace of Hearts Home Improvement (AOH) removed asbestos containing materials (ACM) from a domestic property in St Albans.

The Asbestos Insulation Board (AIB) soffits surrounding the underside of the guttering around the front, gable end and back of the property had been dismantled in an unsafe manner creating the serious risk of respiratory exposure of asbestos fibres to the two workers and the residents of the property (family of four including two children).

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident which occurred on 25 Sept 2015 found that the company was not licensed to remove asbestos.

Ace of Hearts Home Improvements pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 8(1) and Regulation 16 of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2012, and The Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Section 33 (1) (g) in that it failed to comply with an Improvement Notice, and was fined £100,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2118.50.